| S14 EP6 | Dr. Mark Leondires and Lisa Schuman discuss the importance of disclosure and open communication when parenting donor-conceived children. They emphasize the need to drop seeds of information from an early age, allowing children to gradually understand their unique family story. The guests also highlight the significance of language and terminology when discussing donors. The conversation touches on the challenges of managing expectations and the potential impact of meeting donor siblings or the donor themselves. The guests introduce their new book, "Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception," which provides guidance and support for individuals and couples navigating the donor conception process.

🏳️‍🌈Thanks to California Cryobank (code QUEERFAM),  Our Shelves (code QUEERFAM) and our Patreon supporters.

🏳️‍🌈Interested in advertising? Check out our packages here.

🏳️‍🌈About The Guest(s)🏳️‍🌈

• The guests on this episode are Lisa Schuman, a therapist,  and Dr. Mark Leondires, a medical director at Illume Fertility.​

🏳️‍🌈Key Takeaways:🏳️‍🌈​

• In this episode of The Queer Family Podcast, Jamie interviews Lisa and Dr. Mark Leondires about donor conception and parenting donor-conceived children.
• They discuss the importance of open donor programs and the need for disclosure and communication with children about their donor conception.
• The guests emphasize the importance of dropping seeds and having ongoing conversations with children about their donor conception from a young age.
• They also address the concerns and challenges faced by donor-conceived individuals and the need for support and understanding from parents.
• The guests talk about their new book, "Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception," which provides guidance and support for individuals and couples on their donor conception journey.

🏳️‍🌈Quotes:🏳️‍🌈

• "Children are most unhappy under two circumstances, one accidental disclosure and second, late disclosure." - Dr. Mark Leondires
• "If you tell them when your kids are 10, 11, or 12, they're going to see you sweat. If you've been telling them all along, they're like, 'Oh, shut up, dad.'" - Dr. Mark Leondires
• "Our kids have to get through this identity formation on their own and try to figure out who they are in relationship to their parents and then to another set of genetics that they don't really know that well." - Lisa Schuman

🏳️‍🌈Resources mentioned in the episode

• “Building Your Family: The Complete Guide to Donor Conception”
• Donor Conception Conversations Podcast
• The Center for Family Building
• Illume Fertility
• Gay Parents To Be

🏳️‍🌈If you like the episode, make sure to leave us a review and support The Queer Family Podcast on Patreon for as low as $2/month!

🏳️‍🌈We want to hear from you! Call us: 646-470-1840

thequeerfamilypodcast.com / thequeerfamilypodcast@gmail.com IG/Twitter/FB/TikTok/YouTube: @thequeerfamilypodcast

🏳️‍🌈Watch Video Episodes right now on YouTube

🏳️‍🌈Order the #ITOCT book based on this podcast on Amazon, IndieBound, Audible.

🏳️‍🌈Edited by Jerson Barajas. Theme song: Tiffany Topol\ Logo art: Daneen Stevenato.

🏳️‍🌈Buy our merch here.

🏳️‍🌈For a full transcript of this episode and more info about the host visit our website

Our Sponsors:
* Check out ByHeart and use my code QUEERFAM for a great deal: byheart.com
* Check out Outdoor Electronics: www.google.com
* Check out Sunbasket: sunbasket.com/QUEERFAM

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy